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Off And Running At Boothbay And Rockland by Brenda Tredwell
The 2007 Lobster Boat Racing season was launched with a double-header weekend starting at Boothbay, Saturday, June 16th. After sign up at the Boothbay Region Lobstermens Co-op, racers lined up inside Tumbler Island, directing their horsepower towards the Inner harbor, where the Grand Banks schooner SHERMAN ZWICKER sat at the finish. Registration for the Charlie Begin Memorial Races was scheduled from Sam to 9:30, with stragglers rushing up to the sign up area to get on the roster, slapping down $20.00 fees for entry. The first four races were a new event, where the Boothbay Region (24 foot and over) competed. Howard Carter was the only participant in the Boothbay Region 24 feet and over Gas Class (up to 440 cid.) in NIFTY. Doug Carter’s BABE, another sole contender, took the Gas power 401dd and over. The ANDREA and DONNA cruised past eight other boats in the up to 499hp class clocked at 31 mph, a good showing for Dave Taylor, with Marshall Famham’s MISS ATTITUDE and Andy Page in JAZZMATAZZ chasing Taylor’s stem. Clive Fan-in followed in SEA SWALLOW. Nick Hawke in OPTICAL ILLUSION took 5th, with Eben Wilson’s Working Girl, Fred Famham’s SHELLENE TOO, and Nick Page in ALL OUT finishing out the heat. The final Boothbay Region 24 feet and over event was capped with Bill Hallinan flying over the line at 38 mph, tailed by Dan DeRepentigny’s OUTCAST II. Next, the 18 years and younger crowd came to the line. Thomas McLennan’s RIPPLE overtook Eben COURT racing NIGHTMARE (Class A Skiffs, 16 feet and under) with RIPPLE hitting 29mph. Class B Inboards, Outboards or Outdrives, 31 to 60 hp was taken by Richard Hildings in NOT MUCH, racing against Laurel Evanetski’s MISS AMY. Hildings, a seasoned racer, is a tough act to beat. He crossed the line at 35mph.
A field of 6 racers thundered over the course in Class D, 91hp and up. Andy Thibeau’s hull raised water at 41 mph, trumping Dave Johnston’s CASCO MISS, Daniel Lewis’ LOOSE ONE, Nick Irish’s NOTHING YET, Rusty Court in Elsie D., and SUPA GUPP, driven by William DeBery. D & L Boatworks brought CRY BABY in at 26mph over Howard Carter’s NIFTY for a Gas Class A (4 & 6 cyl.) win. In Gas Class B, Randy Bertrand’s COLBY JOSEPH ran imcontested, as did Doug Carter’s BABE in Class C. Galen Alley also ran the course alone in Gas Class D, ripping it up at 46mph, which he topped in the Wooden Boat Race at a smooth 49 mph, where 4 other prominent boats fought for position. Doug Carter showed some throttle, bringing BABE in behind Alley’s LORNA R. as Don Drisko parked MERGANSER with a cool finish ahead of Ed Foye’s Norman & Mary. Wayne Rich closed out the heat in RICH RETURNS. After a season out of the circuit, Julie Eaton drove CAT SASS in DIESEL Class A - good to see her back. Howard Gray walked away with the prize (30 mph) in BLUE THUNDER, sailing past Pat Ducale’s LESLIE ELLEN and CAT SASS. DIESEL Class B resulted in victory for Don Drisko (MERGANSER) who went against Steve Carver’s BIGGER DIRLS and Brent Davis’ HEE HAW. Drisko nailed the win at 27 mph. Dave Taylor topped the Class C Diesel field in ANDREA and DONNA (31 mph) where MISS ATTITUDE and ALL OUT, driven by Marshall Famham and Nick Page respectively, were followed in by Kevin Glover’s Quickstep and Robert Malley’s KATHRYN ANNE.
Gary Genthner’s LISA MARIE vied against John Geyer’s THUNDERSTRUCK in Diesel Class G, where Genthnertook the title at 36mph. Keith Jordan’s HOT SPOT II hit 33mph in Diesel Class H, placing first versus JAZZMATAZZ, OUTCAST II, Dwayne Sutherland’s SARAH ADAM, SEASWALLOW, SHELLENE TOO and Ed Shirley’s ASKK’N. Steve Johnson suggested last winter when asked about his plans for the 2007 racing season that “the WILD ONE might get a little wilder -” Good to his word, Steve delivered, showing some rock and roll at 39 mph, and placing a first above Chip Johnson’s THREE STARS. Bill HaUinan poured on the steam to overtake Wendell Bryant’s 16th AVENUE and clench another set of points at Boothbay (hitting 38 mph once) again for Diesel Class J. Tom Demons’ MOTIVATION brought home the bacon in Race 20, Diesel Class K, at 43 mph ahead of Dennis Young’s CHRISTINA & SETH, while Diesel Class M was won by Wayne demons, contesting against Ed Foye’s NORMAN&MARY. Chris Young’s MISS MADELYN cleared the course at 40mph in Diesel Class N against Andy Johnson’s WHISTLIN’ DIXIE, John Drouin’s REBBIE’S MISTRESS, Richard Hildings’ WHAT’S LEFT and Nick Lemieux’s PHANTOM. The Gasoline Free For All was sewn up by Galen Alley’s LORNA R_, at 41 mph. Doug Carter’s BABE, Randy Bertrand’s COLBY JOSEPH, and D&L.’s CRY BABY gave it hell, still, LORNA R. led the pack. The diesel Free For All was led by Tom demons’ MOTVATION, (42 mph) with Dennis Young placing second in CHRISTINA & SETH, Chris Young’s MISS MADELYN, and Andy Johnson in WMSTLIN’ DIXIE.
During the opener at Boothbay, racers marked their territory - now their job is to hold their edge and rack up the points in their classes. Rockland, July 17th It was a haul from Matinicus to Rockland for Robert Young, who pulled 270 traps Saturday, then headed to Journey’s End Marina for the first ever event at Rock City. His stenunan Justin Fletcher said “It’s a treat to race CYNTHIA LYNN.” It’s Young’s first time racing and he, the wife and crew are in good spirits at the dock, tucked in by the lobster smack ROCKLAND GULF, which carries from the islands. Fortunately, the haze lifted as race time approached. The weather changed over to rain after 2:30, well after the last heat. On the way down, we had to stop at Glen Holland’s, where former contender RED BARON sat cradled in the yard... ..it was a tease. During the first races of the season, there’s a lot of speculation surrounding boats, engines, and the like as fans wonder who’ll emerge from the field, as a force to reckon with. Ray DiPietro and Tobias Zimmenuan fill me in about Albert Bunker’s LAST ONE, Westin Ames’ SHAMELESS, MEGHAN DAWN, PANDORA, and AQUARIAN, recently built boats sporting Iveco /FPT (Fiat Power Train) engines with a hp range up to 2500. ACES WILD, owned by Jason Hamilton sports around 1,000 hp, adds DiPietro, citing that O’Hara/Joumey’s End is one of their Northeast dealers. Races were held inside the breakwater, where USCG Cutter THUNDER BAY loomed above the course where Leuit. Thomas Crane and crew hosted VIP spectators. For the Workboats Under 24 feet Racces, Classes A, B, C, and D, winners were Thomas McLennan RIPPLE, Richard Hildings’ NOT MUCH, Richard Hildings RECKLESS BITCH and Andrew Guptill’s NANCY & ReBECCA, in that order. Followed by the Gas Powered WoAboat (24 feet and up) Class, where Galen Alley’s LORNA R. ran over the course at 40 mph to claim victory in Class D. Alley’s LORNA R. also took the Wooden Boat Class at 47 mph. In second place was Don Drisko’s MERGANSER (24 mph) and Wayne Rich’s RICH RETURNS (22mph)
Diesel Class B was a close one, as Don Drisko goosed MERGANSER’S bow over the line at 24 mph over Steve Carver’s BIGGER DIRLS doing 23mph. Brent Davis’ HEE HAW vied for third at 22mph with Bill Oliver’s KAREN LYNN taking fourth. Race 12 saw Nick Page’s ALL OUT duke it out with Ken Glover’s QUICKSTEP. ALL OUT sailed over the line at a swift 27mph over QUICKSTEP’S close 23mph. Diesel Class D was an unchallenged run for Kevin Rich, who drove RICH RETURNS, while Bill Grant’s GLADIATOR hit the line at 39mph with Kevin Moore’s BAD PENNY in hot pursuit at 37 mph for the Class E Diesel victory. Albert Bunker’s LAST ONE won Diesel Class F at 31 mph over James Jones’ TSUNAMI (29mph) and David Earl in MISs ELIZABETH (24 mph) Todd Ritchie’s SEA COCK Won Diesel Class G with a time of 36 mph over GARY Genthner’s LISA MARffi and John Geyer’s THUNDERSTRUCK. Keith Jordan nailed a win in Class H (diesel) at 33mph as Westin Ames’ SHAMELESS kept the heat on with Brian Miller just behind them in MILLER TIME (28mph) THREE STARS ran uncontested in Diesel Class I and Chip Jotmson traveled down the course alone. Same story for Class J, where Wendell Bryant also ran alone in 16th AVENUE.
INSTIGATOR ran unchallenged with Ryan Post driving at 32mph in Diesel Class M. Diesel Class N saw a broader turn out with 8 racers. Chris Young powered over the field at a strong 39mph in MISS MADELYN with REBBIE’S MISTRESS coming in at 31 mph. Justin Dyer’s ALWAYS SOMETHING, Keith Simmons’ HEATHER & ISAAC, and WHAT’S LEFT, driven by Richard Hildings were over the line before Murray Thompson’s SUNDAY MONEY, Frank Thompson’s FREEDOM, and Nick Lemieux in PHANTOM. LORNA R.’S 42 mph won the Gas Free For All for Galen Alley, racing against Stephen Hale in CAPTAIN JACK. MOTIVATION took the Diesel Free For All at 46mph with Andrew Gove coming in close with 44mph on the radar in UNCLE’S UFO. CYNTHIA LYNN was third. Chris Young’s MISS MADELYN, CHRISTINA&SETH, INSTIGATOR and SUNDAY MONEY followed. LORNA R.’S got a tight grip on her claim to the title of World’s Fastest Lobster Boat. Galen Alley thundered in over MOTIVATION, CYNTHIA LYNN, MISS MADELYN, and Andrew Gove’s UNCLE’S UFO at 47mph. We’ve yet to see what happens at MOOSABEC on July 4, when Calvin Beal unveils LITTLE GIRL and other racers travel to Jonesport Beals, traditionally an event that’s served as a proving ground for some of the finest racing of the year. |
